


The Trouble with Tall Trees

by BlueandBronze



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Ealdor, Friendship, Kinda, Magic Revealed, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Missing Scene, POV Will, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-11-21 13:52:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18143051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueandBronze/pseuds/BlueandBronze
Summary: The story of how exactly Will discovered Merlin's magic. Featuring Trees.





	The Trouble with Tall Trees

**Author's Note:**

> This is just an idea that I had bubbling for a while, and I finally decided to post it, I'm not entirely sure what inspired it, but this is the result. Enjoy! :D

** The Trouble with Tall Trees **

  


“You’re named after a _bird!_ You can climb a tree!”

Will grinned down at Merlin, from his vantage point up the tree. They had managed to dodge most of their chores, escaping into the forest just outside for a brief while, in a spot not far enough from the village to be _dangerous_ , but also just far enough that at casual glance they wouldn’t be seen.

Will had immediately started climbing up the nearest tree, and was sitting in a gap between where a large branch connected to the trunk, legs swinging slightly. Merlin was leaning his back against another tree, his eyes closed, looking peaceful.

At Will’s goading, he opened his eyes again, and started to grin widely.

“Bet I can climb higher than _you_ anyway!” He called, starting to lodge his foot into a convenient gap in the nearest tree which would serve as a foot hold.

Will laughed. “Bet you a week’s chores?”

“I’ll take that!” Merlin grinned impishly, as he swarmed up the tree. He was quickly gaining on Will, who gave an easy laugh, climbing _just_ a little higher...just a little more...

There were less secure branches the higher they climbed.

Merlin and him were now balancing on the same branch. Both looked higher, unable to see any further they could go. They were both far above the ground now, high enough that if Hunith especially had been around she would no doubt be slightly frantic.

“Draw?” Merlin suggested, sounding disappointed.

“No way!” Will hated draws. What was the point if _no one_ won? Someone should always win. Preferably him. He glanced around him wildly. There! A branch, possibly strong enough, probably strong enough, a _little_ out of reach, but if he jumped…

He leapt, stretching his arm out, and managed to grab on to the branch, and scrambled for a non-existent stronger grip. He turned, still dangling from the branch, to Merlin who looking frankly stunned.

“You really just want out your chores, don’t you?” He asked, shaking his head slightly, “How are you planning on getting down from there?”

Will’s branch was higher than Merlin’s. His ever-present grin widened.

“Well, I think I’ve-” That was when he heard the slight cracking. He had a moment to instantly regret all decisions that had led him to this very particular moment in time, when the branch gave way, plunging him to the ground.

“WILL!” Merlin yelled in a panic, and suddenly Will wasn’t falling. The branch, which was apparently much less structurally sound than he had ever imagined, broke on the ground below them. And he was still just hovering. Unsupported in mid-air.

Merlin’s eyes were gold.

Will felt himself float gently to ground, when, just slightly too soon, the invisible supports vanished, and he fell.

It wasn’t a hard fall, but it was enough that he felt the jolt through his legs.

Merlin scrambled down to the ground.

“Are you alright?” His eyes were wide with panic.

Will stared at him for a moment. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Did...did you just...use... _magic_?”

Merlin’s eyes if anything grew wider, but he plastered on an unconvincing surprised expression. “No, no of course not! I have no idea what happened, lucky that it did I mean, but who knows, I have no idea what could have happened, maybe there was wind? Really odd wind perhaps, but maybe that’s just wind, I’m not a wind expert, who knows, really-”

“Merlin.” Will cut Merlin off. He had experience with Merlin’s attempts to talk them both out of trouble, and they could go on for a while if you didn’t cut him off quickly

“What? Like I said, it was probably wind, we should probably just go back-”

“Merlin. That was magic. _Awesome.”_

Merlin blinked, seeming startled. “Awesome?” He hedged, confusedly.

“Yeah! When did you learn it?”

Merlin looked slightly gratified. “I didn’t, I’ve just...sort of always been able to. Sometimes it just...happens.”

Will grinned. “Oh, this is going to be so much fun. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Merlin looked utterly stunned by his reaction, but pleased. “Mother said I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone, and then I couldn’t really think of a way to bring it up.” He suddenly looked scared, “Oh Will, you can’t tell anyone, you know?”

“Anyone?”

 _“Anyone._ Especially my mother. She might actually kill me if she found out that you know.”

Will laughed. “Alright! But we have to find a way to incorporate this into a prank now. We’ll never be caught again!”

Merlin started to laugh. Merlin’s laughs were infectious, and soon both boys were laughing, sitting on the forest floor, and laughing until their faces ached.

It didn’t take long for someone to find them. Soon enough, they were given a list of chores to be completed, and a lecture about escaping into the forest.

Will grinned to himself throughout. This was worth all the lectures in the world. His best friend had _magic._ This was going to be awesome.


End file.
